2011 Marine Corps Marathon

Wow, I still can’t believe we did it and that it is already over! I have to say physically, I feel a lot better than I thought I would. Maybe I didn’t push myself as hard as I could have, but those last 5 miles were killer!!!

Okay, okay; let me start at the beginning. Jay and I woke up at 5:05 a.m. to eat, have some coffee, hydrate and hopefully use the bathroom. Thankfully, that all went without a hitch, which as many runners know is a huge relief.

We headed over to the race around 6:15 a.m. Even though it was freezing that morning, we decided to walk the 2 miles to the start line. I am glad we did as it kept us moving and kept us warm. About 1/2 way into our walk, we met a new friend, Erin. The three of us continued on and stayed together until the corrals.

Jay and I decided to corral with the 4:10 to 4:30 finishers. We knew this was a little faster than our pace starting out, but figured we would rather be passed than do the passing… AKA dodging.

Before we knew it, we were off.

Since it was so cold that morning, it took the first 3 miles for me to feel my toes. Yes, it was that cold! We were shivering at the start line even though we were in one big human mass.

Even though Jay and I had run 22 miles of the course, I was still surprised how hilly the first 7 miles are. I felt so relieved when we were finally running down M street and into Georgetown. At this point we were running pretty close to our goal pace of 10:25 min/miles.

The other piece of the race that made me a touch nervous were our spectators. My parents, brother and friend Val were going to try and meet us at 3 spots on the course. I made them a very detailed list of instructions, and my brother who lives in Foggy Bottom was with them, but I knew if they did not make it to the first meet-up I was afraid we would not see them.

Thankfully between mile 9 and 10 we saw them exactly where, and at the time, we had planned. It was so great to see familiar faces cheering us on with FANTASTIC signs. Mom definitely out-did herself!

Smiling from our support team, we continued on down Ohio Drive and onto Haines Point. I think Haines Point was the first time we started to drag. I usually do not mind that stretch, but today it just dragged on and on. The most noticeable difference in Haines Point is the lack of people.  There are no cheering spectators for about 2 miles of the race, and it was amazing to realize how much we were relying on those screaming idiots with posters.

*Side note: Jay’s favorite posters from the day included: ‘Run faster! Zombies are behind you', ‘Chuck Norris never ran a marathon’, and: ‘most Americans can’t run a 5k… we are the 99%, you are the 1%.’ Jay had a great time hollering at people and high-fiving everyone standing on the sidelines.  Yes, ladies, he’s taken.

Just as we were heading off of Haines Point we saw the 4:30 pacer. Ultimately, our goal was to finish, but the competitive nature came out and we decided that we would try to stick with the pacer until the 14th street bridge.

The pacer did wonders for us for the next 4 miles. The 4:30 pacer was really great, talking to the group as we went and got us through those 4 miles. She also was a great distraction as we missed my family at one of our agreed meet-ups (but somehow they managed to see Jay, above).

As we approached the Capitol Building we took a break and walked. Now, we trained walking though refueling with food. And prior to this walk, we walked to refuel with food, but this time it felt different, like maybe the wheels were coming off a little. Knowing we had our support team ahead, we turned the corner and started running again.

Just as planned, we saw my family near the Smithsonian metro. With a little hop in our step, we proceeded onto mile 20 and the beginning of the end; the 14th street bridge.

The bridge was the second time that I knew that we would make our ultimate to finish under 5 hours, but I could tell finishing closer to 4:30 was out of the question. At this point our pace dropped from about 10:20 to 12 min/miles. As we headed into Crystal City, Jay and I started walking a minute and running 5 minutes. We knew my friends Courtney and Lauren would be near the metro, so we made sure we ran by them and around the turn and back.

I am so glad that they spectated in Crystal City. We really needed the support at this point. Just imagine running mile 22-23 right by your apartment. It was so hard not to stop and run (ok, maybe hobble) home.

After seeing them for the second time, we started walking 2 minutes, running 5 minutes. This strategy slowed our pace to 14 min/miles for the last 2 miles. As we leave Crystal City, Jay tells me we have 38 minutes left until 5 hours. At that moment, I knew that we would make it in under 5 hours and that we COULD do this. Struggling, but never stopping we pushed through and finished in 4:55:11 and averaging a 11:15 min/mile.

As glad and proud that I DID IT, I ran a marathon, it is a little disappointing to see our great pace slow about a minute per mile because that last five miles were so rough. Maybe I’ll just have to run another?

The irony of it all, is I told my parents we would cross right at 1:00 p.m., we crossed the finish line at 1:00:34 p.m. Yup, that is pretty good guestimating, if I do say so myself!

Overall, I can say I truly had a lot of fun running the race and training for it. Marathons are a huge time commitment (we started training in June), but I believe that if you are willing to work for it, almost anyone can run (or run/walk) it.

It is amazing how much a person can change in a year. This time last year I was in pain and struggled over the 14th street bridge as I completed the Army Ten Miler and overcame IT band issues. I never thought I could do a marathon. After lots of hours running, lifting and stretching. I did it! And all it takes to become a runner is to get out the door.

One more thing off the Bucket List!

And snazzy new jackets too :)

Happy Halloween everyone!

We are MARATHONERS

I promise to post a full recap once I have all the photos, but tonight I just wanted to stop by and say WE DID IT. We are marathoners!!!

T’was the Night Before the Marathon

And we had a pretty relaxed day ahead of us.

We dreamed about our future honeymoon. More on that later because it’s changed!!!

Then we went and looked at grooms-wear. As with many wedding adventures, this one was a little overwhelming at first. After 2 stores and a little modeling, we decided on the look we wanted and a time to get the guys together.

Then it started to snow.

Yup, it snowed in DC today. So far it does not appear to be sticking, but I a a little worried about icy conditions tomorrow morning. Oh well, nothing much we can do.

Well, except be prepared.

It looks like the precipitation has stopped (YAY!) and it should remain above freezing the entire evening (YAY!). But it will still be pretty cold the entire race. So much for wearing my short spandex and a short sleeve shirt. I pulled out all my cold weather running gear including gloves and a new ponytail hat :)

I also made sure we had all of our fuel ready to go. I plan to carry my hand held water bottle and fuel belt (but without the bottles) to carry all my Gu, IDs and cell phone.

After we were all set for tomorrow, it was time to relax. This included finishing a few Christmas gifts like the Hoot Hat.

Isn’t it adorable? It’s for Preston our nephew. I hope it fits, I followed the directions exactly for a 1-2 year old, but I feel like it’s soo big.

And while I finished my project Jay and I enjoyed a little Wonder Years. Yes, we have been on a Wonder Years kick. 2 1/2 decades later, its still good.

Now, it’s time to go enjoy some pre-marathon fuel.

I can’t believe its almost here!

Did it snow at your house today?

My Favorite Reads–This Week

It’s the week of the marathon and there isn’t much on my mind besides that and well my wedding.

I am not sure which race I signed up for that put me on the Active.com mailing list, but I do not mind the extra e-mail each week. Every week I get one, I find myself clicking on at least 2 articles. This week’s article that I found timely was the “5 Last-Minute Marathon Tips”. According to their tips, I am all ready!

The second marathon article that a friend found is from The Washington Post’s Health & Science section today. While I certainly hope that I do not need the marathon medical tent this weekend, the article sure is interesting!

The final sip-bit, I found through Weddingbee.com from a post by Miss. Fox. The article highlights an article from Mint.com on the Average Cost of Being a Bridesmaid. I love graphical art, especially from Mint!

I realize that this is the average, but I definitely agree with many commenters on Miss. Fox’s post that t can be done for less!

What graphics or articles have you enjoyed this week?

Baltimore Half Recap

Hi guys! Sorry I have been a major slacker in the blog department this week. I try to blame it on tapering, but deep down I know I have just been lazy.

Despite scaling back this week, I managed to have a great BodyPump class. I am sad I will have to drastically scale it back or even not go for 2 weeks. I was really starting to make major progress. I guess I have something to look forward to post marathon. :)

I also managed to have a great 4 mile run this morning. I only intended to go for 3 miles, but I felt great. I love those runs where you just get lost in the activity. It felt so refreshing!!!

Kind of like the Baltimore Half Marathon.

Last week my left leg was very tight and I started to feel the onset of IT Band syndrome. Since I have been down THAT road before, I stretched a lot last week and went on shorter runs.

As you can imagine, I was very worried that I was having issues so close to the marathon. I fully intended on finishing the Baltimore Half, but I knew for the sake of my goal to complete a marathon and not injure myself, that this race would not be for overall time, but pace.

Thankfully, my body cooperated last Saturday and I finished the Baltimore Half with a 10:15 min/mile pace (2:13:15). I was very proud of this time knowing I did not push myself. I came in a mere 10 minutes after my Disney Food & Wine Half time.

The race actually really helped my confidence. I felt good the entire race (well except after the swig of beer, bad idea). I really enjoyed this race as I took the time to really enjoy the spectators, the views, the hills and even the wind.

As I crossed the finish line I felt good. My heart rate immediately dropped to its resting rate. I felt like I had just completed a normal training run and I felt like I could keep on going and going. I knew I was ready for the marathon!
 

Jay on the other hand flew through the Baltimore Half finishing in 1:58:37. As sad as I was that I did not get to run with my favorite running partner, I was very proud of him. We both completed the race at our own pace, accomplishing our own race goals. BUT you better believe we made a pack to stay together on marathon day!!

I still WANT to finish a half marathon in less than 2 hours, maybe even in 1:50. Looks like I have a goal for the USA Rock N Roll ½! And without marathon training, I know I can do it!

How or when do you know you are ready for a race?



Army Ten Miler Run

I feel like Sunday evenings come way too quickly! This weekend was a relaxing one. We had minimal plans and got some things done around the apartment :)

Since I was fighting a cold this week, we decided to run Sunday after the Army Ten Miler. Since the race is so close to our home, we decided to stop by the end of the course to see if we saw any of our friends running.

Unfortunately, we did not see anyone we knew, but it was fun to see everyone finishing strong!

From the Pentagon, we headed out on our last long run. To date, the only part of the MCM course we haven’t seen is Iwo Jima memorial. This portion is kind of important since it’s the finish line.

It felt great running up the hill, seeing what we would expect on race day. The hill didn’t seem that bad, but we both understand how hard it could be after 25.75 miles.

From there we headed into Rosslyn where we saw the first sign that the race is really just round the corner.

We continued into Georgetown, by the White House and to the Capital and home. Our run was not as long as we would have liked and we walked a lot. Regardless I still feel ready for October 30th, and look forward to the Baltimore 1/2 next weekend.

How was your weekend?

Disney Food & Wine Half

Sorry for the disappearing act! I was a little busy this weekend enjoying my time at Walt Disney World.

Jay and I arrived Friday evening and promptly went to Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party as Cowboys. This party was a fall break tradition for our friends in college. It was fun to relive the memories with Jay. I am fortunate enough to visit Orlando a few times a year to visit my friend Charlotte and for work. But poor Jay hasn’t been to Orlando or Disney in three years!

Saturday after sleeping in, we spent the morning hanging out with Charlotte at the pool, going to the Food & Wine Half expo and watching the Gamecock’s game… and no, I don’t want to talk about it :(

I was very impressed with Run Disney. We went through the expo seamlessly and could instantly tell this race was well organized.

At 7 p.m. Jay and I headed to the Start line at ESPN Wide World of Sports.

The race started at 10 p.m., but all runners had to be at the race start by 8 p.m. I was a little worried that we would not know what to do with ourselves for 2 hours, but Disney did not disappoint!

They had Chef Mickey available for pictures, a dancing DJ and race coverage in several locations including the half marathon leg two relay lot.

Before we knew it, we were lining up in our corrals. This race was a nice little boast to Jay and my running confidence. Of the 10,000 runners, we were placed in the first corral and among the first 1500 runners. This allowed us to cross the official starting line seconds after the clock started.

And then we were off! One of the amazing things about this race was how quiet it was. The first mile out of ESPN Wide World of Sports and on to Osceola Parkway was so quiet we could hear all the runners feet hit the ground and the insects chirping. It was quite a change of pace from running in and around DC.

The quietness was quickly forgotten once we started to pass all the Disney entertainment including characters, bands and representatives from each Epcot country. Plus before we knew it, we were running through Animal Kingdom!

It was fun to run through the parks, but not exactly what I expected. They were so much quieter with runners in them at night than they are during the day with all the tourists! The Disney employees were great, cheering us on and warning us of course hazards. I have never felt so aware of my surroundings! Speed bumps, hard turns, hills, you name it we were told about it. I felt like every employee had some piece of advice or encouragement.

Our time in the first park flew by and then we were back at on Osceola Parkway and greeted by our next surprise. Charlotte came out to cheer us on! We had no idea she was going to come out and were so excited she did! A friendly face truly travels a long way!

After we passed her, Jay took a potty break while I kept a slower pace on the right hand side of the course. Believe it or not, we have been successfully able to find each other this way. We maintained around a 9:25 pace for most of the course except the potty mile where our pace slowed to 10:05. Not bad, if I do say so myself. Plus we did manage two 8:30 miles, the second mile and the last one.

After catching up, we headed into Hollywood Studios for a fun back-stage look. My favorite part was running by the costuming area! Our time in Hollywood Studios felt a little longer than Animal Kingdom. Leaving the second park, we knew we were almost there and were on familiar ground from earlier.

To get to ESPN Zone to watch the Gamecock’s game with Charlotte, Jay and I took a bus to Hollywood Studios and walked on the footpath to the Beach Club. We were pleasantly surprised to see the last few miles of the course were the exact route we had previously traveled on! Knowing where and how far you are going relieves some of those race jitters.

Just as quickly as it started, it was all over! We were officially half marathoner’s! Proudly wearing our new race medals!

Our official race time was 2:03:38. Just 3:38 shy of our 2 hour goal but 100% satisfied with the race.

Feeling accomplished, we quickly changed and headed to the after party where we wined and dinned!

Met a few characters, rode a few rides and had an overall good time.

Reflecting on the whole experience, I had a great time and will highly recommend Disney Races. I thought that I got what I paid for even though Disney races are a little pricier than most.

With all that being said, I would not recommend this race to anyone wanting to experience Epcot or the Food & Wine Festival for the first time. The park is not at full swing at the after party which takes away from its charm. Realistically you only have 2 1/2 hours to enjoy the park, food and wine. Jay and I were not very hungry and couldn’t consume a lot of alcohol post race. If I had never been to this festival or park, this would have taken away from my experience.

Since Jay and I have been to Epcot for the Food & Wine Festival numerous times, we had a very laid back after party plan. We only did our “must-do’s” and then it was time to go. That being said, we enjoyed our last of the Caribbean, our margaritas, the Rose & Crown pub and our two favorite rides (Mexico and Norway).

What race did you enjoy, but would not recommend to others?

 

Which race did you run in preparation for another?

This was our first half marathon and was a training race for the Marine Corps Marathon at the end of the month. Only 26 more days!!!

The Weekend

What a weekend! I am finally feeling like normal again with minimal congestion. :) It probably helped that I slept almost 12 hours Friday night. Saturday we lounged around the apartment and completed a few chores before heading to Baltimore for a wedding.

And what a fabulous wedding it was. September has been the month of fantastic weddings! But you will have to wait until Wednesday for the full recap, sorry!

This morning, Jay and I met up with Dani for our engagement pictures!! I know I am being such a tease tonight, but more later ;)

After a few errands we headed out on a short long run. At this point we have hit our peak mileage, so now we are listening to our body’s and doing what they think are best. After fighting a cold all week, we decided a 10 mile run would be the perfect way to end the weekend.

After a nice stretch, we headed out on a nice leisurely run. It felt great to get back out there after a few days off!

To top all of it off, we ended the weekend with a Mama Pea meal, or should I say Mama Thai? Regardless, Mama Pea’s cookbook is great! I have yet to be disappointed.

Well that’s it for now! More tomorrow!

How was your weekend?

The 22 mile Marine Corps Mock Run

After reexamining our schedule, Jay and I picked this past weekend for our longest run prior to the marathon. And, boy, was it the perfect day to run 22 miles of the course. When we left, the temperature was in the high 50s and by the time we returned home the temperature had leveled out in the mid-60s. I just hope we have such beautiful weather on race day!

And of course, cooler weather calls for the return of my knee-length running spandex :). You know how most people get excited about t-shirt and jean weather? Well I get way too excited for dry-fit t-shirt and knee-length spandex weather!

When devising our training schedule, we scheduled in a mock-course-run. Several fellow marathon runners said it really makes a difference if you run the course (in parts) before the race. Prior to this weekend, we actually have already run very close to this entire course.  Now we just put it all together!

In order to cut the race down to 22 miles, we cut out the portion along Canal Road (or the Capitol Crescent Trail). We also made some modifications so that we weren’t running on the highway, but on trails instead.

We did very very well on this run, finishing in just under 4 hours and 15 minutes, putting us at an 11 min 35 sec pace. This put me at ease for crossing the bridge in the mandatory 14 minute mile pace. I know I shouldn’t be worried about crossing the bridge in time, but for some reason I am.

The pre-race jitters were definitely soothed during this run. We didn’t take our first Gu until the Key Bridge, which was a good mile after when we normally take one. We also walked less and were smarter about when we walked. Jay and I have always walked when we refuel. I can sip my water and run, but if I take a Gu or sport beans while running, my stomach gets angry. On Saturday, the few times we walked, we were efficient, eating and refilling water bottles or if we got caught at a red light we refueled then instead of waiting.

Overall, this run felt great! 22 down!! Only 4 more miles and we will have run a marathon. Crazy!!

Post run, we had a Vegetarian Chili Loaded Baked Potato. This was the perfect post run meal. It was healthy, filling and really refueled our bodies.

Every run, I feel like I learn something new. This run, my calves started to cramp up a bit at mile 15. I realized that I did not eat a lot of potassium this week. With only 40 days left till the marathon, I am going to start concentrating on eating exactly what I need to carry me through the finish line.